Transmitter.



R. M. HOPKINS.

TRANSMITTER. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 11,1908.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

- UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

RICHARD M. HOPKINS, OF YONKEBS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN DISTRICT TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TRANSMITTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

Asthma filed May 11, 1908. Serial No. 432,208.

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transmitters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, .and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' My invention relates to transmitters, such as are adapted for repeating fire alarm signals and the like, and com ,rises means whereby, at will, any one of a arge number .of different signals may be transmitted.

The invention comprises means for adjusting the aipparatus, quickly, to send the signal desire The objects of my invention are, to provide a simple transmitter, whereby any one of a large number of signals may be trans mitted without using a plurality of detached signal wheels, one for each difi'erent signal,

such as it has been the common practice to use heretofore, and to make the transmitter easy to adjust and operate, compact, and relatively inexpensive.

I will now tion with re erence to the accompanying drawings, in which one embodiment of my invention is illustrated, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the said drawings: Figure 1 shows a front view of the transmitter Fig. 2 a side view and partial section thereof; Fig. 3 a transverse section on" line $0 -00 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4shows an elevation of the indicating sector corresponding to the notched break wheel; Fig. 5 shows a perspective elevation of one of the first two adjusting arms, showarticularly the indicator carried thereig. 6 shows a front view of thelast adjusting arm I and of the blank arc-shaped strip or sector with which said arm is provided; and Fig. 7 is. a detail view of the stop mechanism.

In the drawings, 1 designates a toothed or notched break wheel, mounted upon a shaft 2', and arranged to be rotated -in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, by means hereinafter described. A contact spring 3 is arranged to ride over the teeth of t is wheel proceed to describe my inven-' 1- as it revolves, and another contact spring 4 is arranged to make contact with this spring '3 except at such times as spring 3 drops mto a notch. between two teeth of the wheel. It will be obvious that as the wheel revolves, contact will be made and broken alternately between these springs 3 and 4.

In proximity to wheel 1 there is a star wheel 5, arranged to be rotated step by step by engagement with its arms of two ins, 6

and-7, the former carried by the whee itself,

the latter carried by the last of three 'adjusting arms, 8, 9 and 10. This stanwheel is arranged to rotate a disk comprising opposed conductive segments, 11 and 12, electrically connected to each other, and opposed insulating segments, 13 and 14; and brushes, 15 and 16, bear against the periphery of this disk. I These two brushes are connected electrically across the contact springs3 and 4, and it will be seen that when brushes 15 and 16 are connected electrically through -conductive segments 1]. and 12, a shunt connection is established across brushes or springs 3 and 4, which nullifies the electrical'efiect of separation of these springs.

Wheel 1 has in it a slot 17, through which rows of numbers on certain indicating segments may be seen. The rearmost of these segments, 18 (Fig. 4) is keyed to shaft 2, as is wheel 1, and corresponds' in all respects to wheel 1 that is to say, is functionally a part of said wheel, though somewhat in rear thereof, so that between said wheel and segmentother segments carried by arms 8,9 and 10, may move, so as to blanket more or less of the circular row of numbers, 1 to 9 inclusive, whicl'rsegment 18 carries in position to be seen through slot 17. The first adjusting arm, 8, carries a segment '19, lo'c ated just in front of segment 18, and likewisei's provided with numerals, 1.to 9 inclusive, these nuhas a similar The'spacing of the numerals on segments .18, 19 and 20 corresponds to the spacing of the teeth of Wheel 1. Each arm, 8, 9, and 10, has in it an orifice, registerin with slot 17,

through which a numeral on t iesegment beneath may be seen.

It will be seen that, according to the adjustment of arms 8, 9 and 10, an observer will see, through slot 17 and the orifices in arms 8, 9 and 10, one or more of. the numerals on segment 18, followed by one or morenumerals on segment 19 (provided arm 9 is not directly against arm 8),

followed in turn by one or more numerals on seg'mentfl20 (provided arm 10 is not directly against arm 9); the segment 21 hiding the numerals. onsegment beyond that seen through the orifice of arm 10. The numbers thus seen through the orifices of arms 8,9 and piece adapted to fill the notch between any two teeth of wheel 1 and so to 3 from dropping so as to b'rea spring 4. i

For rotating shaft 2 I have illustrated a 1prevent spring r contact with simple form of spring motor com rising a spiral spring 24 anchored at one on to a bar 25 of the frame of the machine, the other end of said spring being secured to a shaft 26 on which is mounted a pinion 27 intermeshing with a gear se ment 28 carried by a pivoted operating handle 29. A ratchet wheel 30 secured t0 shaft 26 is adapted to engage a spring-pressed pawl 31 carried by a gear mounted loosely on shaft26 and interm shing with a inion 33 on shaft 2. It will be seen that w 1en arm or handle 29 is rotated to the right until arrested by a stop pin 34 and then released, wheel 1 will be rotated one ,revolution. -A pendulum escapement 35 regulates the rate ofinovement of the wheel. At the conclusion of one revolution wheel 1 is arrestedby rengagement of a pin 36 carried by shaft "2 with a stop arm 37 carried by gear segment '28 (Fig. '7) said stop arm being moved out of the'path of the pin 36 when handle 29 is o erated to wind the spring.

\Vheel I wil ordinarily be provided with a blank space 38 at that portion of its periphery against which s ring 3 rests when the wheel 1 is at rest; an between said blank portion and the main toothed portion of the wheel there may be a toothed portion 39 containing a few teeth, which will send in a preliminary signal such as the class signal required in some localities. In connection with this toothed portion 39 there may be an adjustable segment 40, which, whcn'set out to the periphery of wheel 1, prevents spring 3 from notches.

someo less, the operator adjusts the arms 8, 9 and 10, by raising the handles 23 and moving the arms as required until the desired numbers are seen through the orifices in said arms, then releasing said handles, whereupon the filling blocks, 22, will drop into the corresponding notches of -wheel1, holding\.tl1e arms 8,9

and 10 in the positions to which they have been adjusted; and at the same time preventing the spring 3 from dropping into such The handle 29 is then ulled to the right, winding up spring 24, an is released, whereupon wheel 1 begins to rotate. As spring 3 passes over the notches 39 contact is broken and remade between springs 3 and 1, (provided segment 40 has been moved inward), thus sending a preliminary signal. When spring 3 passes over the notches of the main notched portion of wheel 1 the main signal is transmitted. The filling pieces 22 prevent the spring 3 from dropping where I these filling pieces are, so slight pause between. numera s of thesame signal necessary to distinguish the strokes of one number from those of the next. the filling piece 22 of arm 10 passes spring 3 the pin 7 actuates star wheel 5, reversing the position of the disk carried thereby, so that conductive segments 11 and 12 are now in contact with brushes 15 and 16, so completing a shunt connection across springs 3 and 4, so that further breaking of contact at these springs has no eiiecton the signal circuit. when wheel 1 returns to normal position pin 6 actuates the star wheel again, breaking the connection between brushes 15 and 16. The

roducing the When transmitter is then ready for adjustment to send another signal.

It will be apparent that by setting arm 8 to a desired number, and by placing arms 9 and 10 with their filling ieces 22 in notches adjacent to that of the h ling piece of arm 8, a signal. of only one number may be sent; and similarly that by proper adjustment of the arms signals of only two numbers may be sent. The instrument may of course have as many arms as desired.

What I claim is 1. A transmitter comprising in combina tion a notched disk, a contact device adapted to be operated by passage over the notches of said disk, one of said members ada ted for complete rotation withresfpect to t 10 other, means for rotating thebne 'with 125 respect to the other, and one or were adjustable pieces adapted to close one or more of said notches to prevent operation of saidcoiitact device and means preventing operation of a circuit by said contact device dur ing passage thereof over notches of said disk,

after assage over a predetermined number notches.

. 2. A transmitter comprising in combination a notched disk, a contact device a apted to be operated by passage over the notches of said disk, one of said members ada ted for complete rotation with respect to t e other, means for rotating the one with respect to the other, one or more adjustable filling pieces adapted to fill one or more of said notches to prevent operation of said contact device, and means preventing operation of a circuit by said contact device, during passage over the notches of said disk, after the passage of a predetermined number of said notches. r

3. A transmitter comprising in combination a notched disk, a contact device adapted to be operated by passage over the notches of said disk, one of said members ada ted for complete rotation withrespect to t e other, means for rotating the one with respect to theother, one or more adjustable pieces adapted to close one or more of said notches to revent operation of said contact device, and contact means operated by the rotatable member after passage of said contact device over a' predetermined number of said notches arranged to prevent operation of a circuit by said contact device.

4. A transmitter comprisin in combination a notched disk, a contact evice adapted to be operated by passa e over the notches of said disk, one of sai members adapted for complete rotation with respect to the other, means for rotating the one with re spect to the other, one or more adjustable pleces' adapted to close one or more of said notches to revent operation of said contact device, an shunt circuit contact means operated by the rotatable member after passage of said contact device over a predetermined number of said notches arran ed to close a shunt connection across said first named contact device.

5. A transmitter comprising in combination a notched disk, a contact device adapted to be operated by passage over the notches of said disk, means for rotating the one with respect to the other, one or more adjustable pieces adapted to enter and close one or'more'of said notches to prevent opera tion of said contact device, and a carrying arm for each such piece having a slidihg connection therewith, said ad ustable piece when in place in onset said notchesbeing held in place thereby and serving also to lock the corresponding segment. 6. 'A transmitter comprising in combination a notchedidisk, a contact device adapted to be operated by passage over the notches of said disk, means for rotating the one with respect to the other, one or more adjustable pieces adapted" to close one or more of said notches to prevent operation of said'contact device, a carrying arm for each such piece having a sliding connection therewith, and a spring tending to hold each such piece in the notch in which it is placed.

7 A transmitter comprising in combination a notched disk, a contact device adapted to be operated by passage over the notches of said disk, means for rotating the one with respect to the other, said disk having in it a slot and having in rear of. said slot a numbered segment, an adjustable piece adapted to close one of said notches to prevent operation of said contact device, and a segment between said disk and the numbered segment thereof, adjustable with said piece and adapted to hide more or less of the numbers on the said disk segment.

8. A transmitter comprising in combination a notched disk, a contact device adapted to be operated by passage over the notches of said disk, means for rotating'the one with respectto the other, said disk having in it a slot and having in-rear of said slot anumbered segment, two or more adjustable pieces adapted to close two or more of said notches to revent operation of said contact device, an overlap in' segments movable with said pieces am at apted to hide more or less of the numbers of said disk segment, each of said over-lapping segments except the last having corresponding numbers adapted to' be hidden, more or less, by the rest of said segments,

9. A transmitter comprisin in combinationa notched disk, a contact evice adapted to be operated by passage over the notches of said disk, means for rotating the one with respect to the other, one or more adjustable pieces adapted to close one or more of said notches to prevent operation of said contact .device,. a star wheel and means operated thereby preventing operation of a circuit by saidcontact device after the passa e of a predetermined number of said notc es, a pin carried by said disk for o crating said star wheel and another pin a justable with the of said disk, means for rotating the one with respect to the other, a plurality of adjustable pieces adaptedto close notches of said disk to prevent operationof said contact device,

last of said adjustable pieces and likewise swinging arms carrying said adjustablev pieces, a star wheel and contact means operated thereb preventing operation of the circuitby saic contact device after the passage of a predetermined number of said notches,

, a pin carried by said disk for operating said star wheel and another pin carried by the last of said arms and likewise adapted to opcrate said star wheel.

reverse such shunt contact device after the passage of said first namedcontact device over said adjustable piece and also when the disk nears its normal position. In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- 1 RICHARD M. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

- M. W. FLYNN,

A. M. CROOKER.

11. A transmitter comprising in combination a notched disk, a contact device adapted to beoperated by passage of the notches of said disk, means for rotatin the one with respect to the other, an, a justable piece adapted to close one or another of said notches to prevent operation of said contact device, a star wheel and contact means operated thereby for closing a shunt connec- I tion across sald first named contact device, and means for operating said star wheel to I 

